Google has agreed to pay $28 million (£21.5 million) to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of providing better pay and career opportunities to white and Asian employees compared to workers from other ethnic groups. While Google confirmed the settlement, it denied the allegations made in the lawsuit.
The case, filed in 2021 by former Google employee Ana Cantu, claimed that Hispanic, Latino, Native American, and other workers from diverse backgrounds were offered lower salaries and started at lower job levels than their white and Asian colleagues.
A leaked internal document formed the basis of the lawsuit, suggesting that employees from certain ethnic groups were paid less for similar work. The lawsuit argued that using prior salaries to determine starting pay and job level perpetuated existing racial and ethnic disparities.
The class action lawsuit represents at least 6,632 individuals who worked at Google between February 15, 2018, and December 31, 2024.
Cathy Coble, one of the lawyers for the claimants, praised the employees who exposed the issue, stating that such collective action was necessary to bring attention to the suspected pay inequities, which could otherwise remain hidden.
Google has denied any discrimination, asserting that it has not treated employees unfairly and remains committed to fair hiring and compensation practices.
This settlement follows a broader trend, with major US companies like Meta, Amazon, Pepsi, McDonald’s, and Walmart scaling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. These changes have come amid growing opposition to DEI initiatives, including criticism from former President Donald Trump and his allies. Since returning to office, Trump has ordered government agencies and contractors to eliminate DEI policies.